Korea takes flak for illegal waste export to Philippines

Tons of garbage piles up on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao after being illegally shipped. / Courtesy of Greenpeace

By Kang Seung-woo

Korea is in hot water over tons of plastic waste that was illegally shipped to the Philippines earlier this year.

Global environmental group Greenpeace unveiled photos Monday showing that 5,100 tons of mixed waste, including plastics and other materials, are piling up on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao.

According to the organization, a total of 6,500 tons of garbage was shipped to the Philippines on two occasions ― July 21 and Oct. 20 ― declared as plastic synthetic flakes. However, the shipment contained plastics, used batteries, and diapers.

A Korean company, Verde Soko Philippine Industrial, was the consignee of the shipment.

While the 5,100 tons of trash has been dumped in a rubbish heap, the remaining 1,400 tons has been impounded by the Philippine Bureau of Customs at the Mindanao International Container Terminal, being kept in 51 containers.

The pile of garbage is polluting the air and rivers after being lashed by rain and wind, threatening residents' health, according to Greenpeace and local environmental groups.

The EcoWaste Coalition, a local organization, staged a rally in front of the Korean embassy in the Philippines, Nov. 15, to protest the waste. It also held a street march, Nov. 28, urging the Bureau of Customs to return the garbage to Korea.

In response, the customs office said the next day it would do everything to immediately send the shipments back to Korea.

In the wake of growing criticism, the government has also taken action to bring the waste back.

“The shipment was an unlawful act by a local waste exporter. We are set to take legal action to get the company to address the issue,” said an official of the environment ministry.